Ventilating device



Sept. 28 1926. Y 1,601,420

' A. :WADE ET AL VENTILATING DEVICE -Fileds'epn so. 1922 rfa. 4v rf/ f2sfee f A l I lf! 14| y L l lr LF L '1 l *w 7 www wf. y 46' A A O m) MU /9/47 20 o' u- ;LT LL L-, 1.5/5@ -n' m j' f -49 q\ j) 2f) -w &5' /4 /6GfK/1 7 e 23 /s 5 I We 44 L xgvl 42 46 49; '(40 53, fsa ,4f f5- L e4/eff741/ 55K "TY ll A ""'jm "ff" Patented Sept. 28', 1926i.

UNITEB STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR WADE AND HARRY L. VAN ZILE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO VANZELE VENTLATING CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

VENTILATING- DEVICE.

Application filed September 30, 1922.

This invention relates generally to means for providing a continuous orat least fairly constant flow of fresh air into closed apartments, andit pertains moreespecially to a device of this kind adapted forinsertion into a door in order to afford ventilation therethrough.

One object of the invention is to produce an improved device of thenature set forth which may be composed entirely of sheetmetal, and shallinclude interspaced members that are individually apertured and carryoppositely directed vanes, the latterl being formed integral with therespective members and so arranged as to permit free circulation of theair, While obstructing vision and preventing the passage of light.

Another object is to providea device of the character described, whereinthe -spaced apart members and their respective vanes are associated in aunitary structure, with side pieces attached thereto by means ofelements formed from the edges of the members themselves.

A further object is the production of a device of the type specifiedhaving a closure capable of controlling the flow of air transversely ofthe said structure through its apert-ured members, and fitted to slidein guides formed with opposite edges of one of the latter.

Still another object is the provision in a device of the class mentionedof means for noiselessly cushioning the impact of the said closureagainst the terminals of the slideway within the said guides, at thecompletion of its travel therein, either to close or open the aperturesin the said members.

A still further object is to furnish a practical device of the sortindicated, consisting of few, simple parts, of light but strong, rigidand durable construction; convenient to manipulate; reliable inoperation; and easily maintained in working-order, as well as readilyfitted to both new and existing doors; besides being amenable to lowcost of manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe specification proceeds.

Vith the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists of the no-velcombinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in theirpreferred embodiments,

serial No. 591,549. i

pointed out in the Nsubjoined claims, and illustrated on the annexeddrawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same referencecharacters throughout the several views. y v

Brieiiy described, the invention under consideration comprises in itsorganization a pair of plates disposed inl parallelism a short distanceapart one from the other. These plates are slitted each at alternateintervals, so as to form therein facial apertures arranged in staggeredrelation. The material displaced by the slitting is bent inwardly intothe space occurring between the plates and constitutes vanes that aredisposed angularly with respect to the two series of apertures. vrIhefree, inner eX- tremities of these vanes are offset beyond one anotherso as to block the vision and the passage of light from either side ofthe combined plates, irrespective of the apertures therein, no matter atwhat angle the,7 may be viewed. Still this is accomplished withoutinterfering with the circulation of air through and across the aperturedplates, Interposed ibetween the inside faces of the latter, andassociated with the transverse ends of the vanes, are channel-shapedmembers that govern the spacing of the pla-tes relatively to each other.rlhe edges of one of the plates are carried outwardly past the flangesof the said channel-shaped members and then bent back inwardly in such amanner as to encompass the same, one plate being thereby clamped uponthe flanges of the adjoining member. Guides are also formed with theedges of the other plate for a slide having a number of openings adaptedto be brought opposite the apertures in the latter and thus controllingthe flow of air therethrough. Y This plate is maintained rigidly inposition on the adjacent flanges of the channel-shaped members, as wellas the said guides, by means of keepers, preferably struck up from itnear the edges' thereof and ythence bentover the last-named flanges. Theopposite edges of the slide are thickened, as Iby folding the same uponthemselves, in order to hold the body thereof at the required distancefrom the contiguous face of the plate. Besides, the curved extremitiesof the'folded edges are lconsiderably less than the inside radii of theguides and afford complete freedom of motion to the slide. The guidesare stopped up as well as reinforced at their terminals, by retainersholding resilient buffers in place that serve to cushion the impactresulting from the slides movement thereagainst, when reaching the limitof its travel at either end. This naturally contributes to noiselessoperation. The outer faces of the slide and of the plate remotetherefrom are correspondingly reinforced, intermediately of theirrespective openings and apertures, by hollow ribsformed inopposed'relation to one another, which permit the use of comparativelylight material, without the sacrifice of either strengthor rigidity, inthe manufacture of the device. A knob, affixed in plain view totherouter face of the slide, provides a convenient and unobstructivegrip for' the manipulation thereof inopening or closing the ventilat ingapertures.

The advantages of they invention as here outlined are `best realizedwhen all .of its features and instrumentalities are combined.

in the one and same structure, but, useful devices may be producedembodying less than. the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains, upon becoming conversant with the details thereof, that thesame may be incorporated in several different constructions. Theaccompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showingthepreferred exemplification of the invention.

In the said drawing Figure I is a front elevation or outside view ofthis improved ,Ventilatingdevice, av portion thereof being broken awayto.y showA Fig. V is a similarly enlarged fiag mentary end view of. thedevice as it appears loolting towards the Vright from the:

upper left-hand corner of Fig. l; and

Fig. Vl is a fragmentary,longitudinal section, on the same enlarged.scale, taken from the line Vl-VI of Fig. I, viewed vin theidirectionpointed out by fthevertical arrows thereto appertaining.

rlhe reference numerals. L11 and 12 designate `side plates,.which arelocated acertain distance apart one from the other, so vasto leaveYtherebetween a space A of 'predeterf mined width, depending on thethickness of the door to which the ventilating device is to be applied.

Air guiding vanes 13 are produced in the outer plate 11 by cuttingthree-sided slits therein, such as are clearly shown in the left half ofFig. l and the right half of Fig. lil. These vanes are bent obliquelyinwardly of the space A as indicated in Fig. H, and thus provideelongate apertures 14, leading into the same. intervening between theseveral apertures, are bi'idgesl, which are reinforced by hollow ribsl,struck up from the inner face of the plate.

Similar air directing vanes 18 are also formed outof the plate 12, butthe latter point right angularly inward into the space A, as Fig. l1shows. However, the ,slitting of this plate produces like apertures 19,sepl` arated bybridges 20. These rbridges of the plate.12f aresmooth-surfaced throughout.

The` free, inner extremities of -5 the said vanes 13 and 18 may beoffset to such extent that theyl vare made to pass one another outwardly beyond the middle ofthe said space A., as seen to best advantageby reference to Figs. IV and fV. According to the arrangement adoptedfor the embodiment of the invention herein. exemplified, the apertures14 and 19, intermediate the vanes in the two setsl and 18, arepositioned substantially opposite the bridges 20 and 15, respectively.As shown, the oblique vanes VA13 are made shorter than the apertures 14;from which they are slitted, this is when the space A is of mediocrewidth. Generally, the wider the plates 11 and 12 are spaced apart, thelonger the vanes 13 must be in order to prevent direct rays of Vlightpassing through the said apertures 14 and 19, as also to block the sightthereacross.

interposed between the plates 11 and 12, in associated relation withtheir inner faces and the transverse ends of the vanes 13 and 18, are,channel-shaped members 22 and 23, which extend ,for the entire lengthof the. ventilator. These members constitutie spacers that hold theplates 11 and 12 at the predetermined distances apart, and their webportions bound the narrow sides of spaceA left between the said plates,in all instances.

As plainly indicated in Figs. lV and V, the outer longitudinalV portions24 of the plate 11 are foldedinwaidly around the adjacent flanges 25 oftheme-mbers 22 and 23, respectively, and. the free edges 26 of thesesame portions are made to lie close .against the webs of thesaidmembers. AThus. it will be understood, the latter are securelyfastened in position.

The opposite flanges 28 .of the members and 23am tied .to the plate 12by means of lugs; orV ears 29, shorn outv of that part of the platewhichsublies the latter-named flanges,

as represented in Figs. 1V and V. The lugs are first bent up, then laidover and pressed down upon these flanges. In this case also, the freeends or tips of the lugs 29 are made to abut against the webs of thechannel-shaped members, so that not only is the plate 12 maintained inproper correlative position with their said webs, but the latter arefirmly secured in juxtaposition to the vanes 13 and 1S. T he openingsleft in the plate 12, after forcing out the lugs 29 therefrom, areindicated at 30, the same being located under the flanges 28 of thechannel-shaped members 22, 23 and substantially opposite thesmooth-surfaced bridges 20.

The outer longitudinal portions-32 of the plate 12 are folded in thesame direction as the corresponding parts 24 of the plate 11, that is,so as to lie outwardly beyond the plane of the former. rEhe free edges33 of the said portions 32 are spaced from the. plate 12 sufliciently toconstitute a pair of guides 34, the extreme outer limits of which aregiven each a liberal inside curvature, as denoted at 35. lt will beobserved that the said outer portions 24 and 32 of the two l 'plates 11and 12 are situated in approXi mately the same longitudinal planes andform the transverse margins of the ventilator.

1n the guides 34 is fitted a slide 37, translatable lengthwise of theadjacent plate 12. The lateral edges of this slide are preferablyreinforced or thickened, as by bending the same inwardly over or uponthemselves, in the manner indicated at 38, thereby offsetting the slidesbody from the plate sufficiently to preclude the rubbing of their entiresurfaces one against the other, which would streak and abrade the paintthereon, as also render them liable to stick together. rlhe frictionalcontact between the folds 38 and the plate 12 is limited to the width ofthe former and their counterparts on each side of the slide 37 that restupon the opposite inner faces of the guides 34. It will be notedthatrthe rounded outer edges of the slide are of considerably lesscurvature than the corresponding inside portions of the guides, so thatthe former obtains in the latter a liberal freedom of motion,accompanied with lessened friction and a practically noiselessoperation.

rEhe slide 37 is provided with a number of openings 40, conforming withthat of the apertures 19 in the plate 12, both being similar in outlineand arranged to register with one another. The opening 40 are separatedby bridges 41, which also are reinforced by hollo-w ribs 42, struck upthere from. rhese ribs are of configuration cor-Y responding to that ofthe ribs 16, previously mentioned, and together they give both sides ofthe ventilator a like appearance.

At 44 is indicated a manipulating knob for .the slide 37, which may besecured in any suitable manner to one of the ribs 42,`

in plain view of a person facing the door, so `that it can be easilyreached whenever it is desired to open, close, or graduate thecommunication between the series of apertures 14, 19 in the plates 11,12 and the openings 40 in the said slide.

With the object both of strengthening the guides 34 and providing a stopto limit the travel of the slide 37 in either direction, a retainer 46in the formof a bar of flattened cross-section is lodged across eachpair of the guide members at the ends of the plate 12. These bars 4G maybe held inftheir assigned positions by rivets or the like 47, fasteningthem to the plates.

It will be observed that the extremities of the said bars which enterthe guidesV are nicked down, as at 48, and buffers 49, such as blocks ofrubber or other resilient material, are lodged thereagainst, asrepresented in Figs. III and VI. Obviously, these buffers act to cushionthe impact of the slide as it comes to a stop at the end of its travelin either direction within the guides, thereby eleminating any noise onthat score. It kis understood that when the buffers 49 are undergoingdeterioration they may bediscarded and new ones substituted.

The improved ventilator herein described and illustrated is especiallydesigned for insert-ion into the top panel or upper part of a door, asexemplified in Fig. Il (by dotand-dash lines) where B represents theside stiles of a door, and C denotes moldings that serve to retain thedevice in proper position, besides giving the insert a finishedappearance. Notwithstanding this showing, the device can nevertheless beemployed for any other appropriate purpose, where it is desiredy toestablish a circulation of air across some primary support withoutpermitting direct light rays therethrough, or allowing objects to bediscerned or viewed from one side thereof to the other.

It is to be noted that this improved device is wholly metallic initscharacter, as well as self-contained. vThe transverse ends of theapertures in the front and rear plates, as also of the openings in theslide, are made flush with the inner faces of the channelled members, sothat it is an easy matter to blow or clean out dirt from the interior ofthe space A enclosed by the associated plates and members. There isnothing to get out of order, or endanger by tampering with the same.Such chance as the slide might have of binding or rattling is obviatedby the very nature of its construction and arrangement. The ventilatorin its entirety may be given a coat of paint to conform to the finish onthe door, without'interfering in the least with its successfuloperation.

While a certain preferred embodiment of this devicev has been shownand'described,

it Will be understood that changes in the form, arrangements,proportions, sizes and details thereof may be made, Without departingfrom the scope ofthe invention as' defined by the l appended claims.

Having described our invention what We desire to secure by LettersPatentland claim, is

l. ln aventilating device of the character describech'tlie combinationwith a pair of a'pertured plates set apart to provide a space ofpredetermined Width therebetween and air-gi'iiding vanes` locatedintermediate the apertures in said plates, of flanged mein-- bers theWeb portions of which serve to close the longitudinal sidesof said spaceby being interposedl Vbetiveen the plates in abutting relationto thetransverse ends of.

said vanes, and counter disposed meansA formed near the edgesof theplates adapted toengage the opposite inner faces of the flanges and liesubstantially ilusli with the outer sides of the Webs of said members tovtie the said parts together.`

plate forming folds engaging the adjacentv flanges of the members, andlugs formed near the edges of the other plate engaging the adjacentflanges oppositely formed on the members; said folds and said lugs beingbrought into abutting relation with the outer faces of the membersWithin their said flanges;`

3. In a ventilating device of the character described, the combinationwith apertured plates placed in parallelism'at a predetermined distanceapart oiie from the other and air-directing vanes positioned in thespaces occurring between said plates, of channel-shaped members situatedon opposite sides of the latter serving to close said space, retainingmeans fashioned from longitudinal edge portions'of the platesholdingthem and said members securely together, guides formed by the edges ofonefplate curved outwardly therefrom, and al slide operable 11i saidguides having openings' adapted to be brought into or out of registerwith the apertures in the plates'.

et. ln-a Ventilating device of the character described, the combinationwith apertured plates spaced apart one from the other and air-guidingvanes located intermediate thev apertures in said plates, of flangedinemhers interposed between the plates adjacent their longitudinaledges,l one plate having the latter bent around the adjoining flanges ofboth members, ear-like fastening' means pertaining to the other platefolded over the contiguous opposite flanges of the said ineinbers,guides formed With said` other plate including lips projecting therefromin' a like direction to said-bent-around edges', and a reciprocableregister slideinv said guides retained therein by said lips, said-slidehaving itslengthivi'se kextending edges doubled upon themselves in thesaine direction as said folded means.

5; ln a Ventilating device of the character described, the combina-tionvwith a' pair of apertured plates separated by aspace-V of predeterminedWidth and aiifguicliiig vanes located in said space, of laterallydisposed membersconjoined with'said plates on opposite sides of tliesaine, guides formed by outwardly turned longitudinal edges of one ofthe plates, a slide arranged to reciprocate in said guides havingopenings capable ofi being brought into or out ofy register vvitlicirculation of airV

